Upward Facing Camera

This flight's payload featured an upward facing camera to gain a better understanding of what goes on with the balloon, rigging, and parachute during the flight.

Balloon Expansion

The balloon's diameter at the burst altitude is 3.43 times its diameter at the launch altitude. Assuming the balloon is a sphere with a 1 meter radius at launch, its starting volume is 4.19 m3. This means the balloon's volume at burst is 169.03 m3, an expansion to 40.34 times the launch volume.

Balloon Burst

Current Mission

Since Global Space Balloon Challenge 2016 (GSBC) just ended, there is no better time than now to start planning for participation in, but not limited to, the GSBC 2017 challenge. HacDC has had some preliminary discussions with the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) regarding some of their STEM initiatives which align well with our Spaceblimp project. This presents a great opportunity for HacDC to collaborate with the NRL and local area schools to assist students in preparing for the next GSBC or other balloon events. Besides helping young minds grow, we could also expand in to other STEAM initiatives and work side-by-side with distinguished researchers and scientists from the NRL.

Supplies and equipment are not an issue. Hands on help is. We need embedded hardware, software, FPGA, and RF engineers, licensed amateur radio operators, project developers, crafts people, decorators, coordinators, outreach specialists and educators. However, no one with helping hands or a willingness to learn will be turned away.